Tool

ABSTRACT

The tool of the present invention compresses a locking plier having rigid plate portion and means for gripping the cable disposed on the interior contacting surfaces of the plate, the interior contacting side of the jaw plates having relief to compressively engage the casing cable.

Orofino, Idaho 83544 [22] Filed: Oct. 26, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 409,979

[52] US. Cl 81/425 R [51] Int. Cl B2Sb 7/02 [58] Field of Search 81/418, 420, 425 R, 425 A, 81/426; 269/96, 97, 95

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,488,484 ll/l949 Vander Clute .1 81/420 United States Patent 1191 1111 3,842,696 Wayne C 1 Oct. 22, 1974 [54] TOOL 2,679,775 6/1954 Fleming 8l/420 [76] Inventor: Kenneth WaneROBOX 1191, 3.314319 4/l967 Schm1dt ..8l/420 Primary ExaminerJames L. Jones, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-John W. Kraft; Charles L. Kraft, ll

[ 5 7 ABSTRACT 2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures TOOL The present invention relates to tools for gripping guy wires, lash wires and wire cables, and more particularly to a tool for gripping guy wires and the like carried in and actuated by a selectively locking plier.

Means for gripping guy wires, lash wires and wire cables have typically included pairs of plates actuated together by a rotatable shaft or handle in the 'manner of a vise. Clearly, such an actuator would be slow to open and close. It is also found that lashing cables are frequently gripped under tension and gripped in pairs of cables. This means that the cable must be engaged rapidly with high compressive force such that tension will not be lost or wasted. When cables to be lashed are gripped in pairs, it may be seen that it is necessary to grip both pairs when they are properly grouped.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tool for gripping guy wires and the like in which gripping jaw plates are carried in and actuated by a selectively locking plier.

It is another object of this invention to provide means for engaging a pair of lashing cable sections.

These and other objects shall become apparent from the description following, it being understood that modifications may be made without affecting the teachings of the invention here set out.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The tool of the present invention compresses a locking plier having rigid plate portion and means for gripping the cable disposed on the interior contacting surfaces of the plate, the interior contacting side of the jaw plates having relief to compressively engage the casing cable. a

The relieved plate includes, from the leading edge the handles of the pliers, a transversely cut, concavely curved, recess disposed distally from the leading edge of the jaw plates and having a substantially symmetrical concave arcuate shape, and a sloped recess having its deepest portion disposed distally from the rearward edge closest to the plier handles of the jaw plate and having a sloped face from the rearward edge to the deepest portion thereof, and a gradually sloped face from the deepest portion of the sloped recess to the rearward edge of the first recess.

A more thorough and comprehensive understanding may be had from the detailed description of the preferred embodiment when read in connection with the drawings forming a part of this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the tool of this invention shown gripping a wire cable shown in broken lines for illustrative purposes.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the lines 22 of the FIG. 1 showing the interior configuration of the present tool and a cable in broken line for illustrative purposes.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the lines 33 of the FIG. 1 showing the configuration of one of the jaw plates as they appear in plan view.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the lines 22 of the FIG. 1 showing the present 2 tool gripping a pair of cables shown in broken lines for illustrative purposes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 1 Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to the FIG. 1, the tool of this invention is shown to advantage and generally identified by the numeral 10. The tool 10 comprises locking pliers l1 and jaw plates 12.

The locking pliers 11 are of the type disclosed in US. Pat. Nos. 2,280,005 and 2,514,130. The pliers ll generally comprise a first handle 13 having a jaw portion 14 at one of its terminal ends, a second jaw portion 15 pivotally mounted distally from the rearward portion of the jaw 14 to the first handle 13, a second handle 16 pivotally mounted to the rearwardmost terminal end of the second jaw 15, a connecting link 17 pivotally mounted at one of its terminal ends to the second jaw 15 and the second handle 16, its opposite end being slidably engaged in the first handle, and a releasing contacting lever 18 disposed rectilinearly in the second handle 13 pivotally connected to the link 17 distally from the end adjacent the jaw 14. The second jaw 15 resembles a wrist plate or T-lever wherein the central leg is pivoted at the first handle 13 wherein the portion adjacent the first jaw 14 is provided with pressure reenforcing and wherein the arm opposite the pressure portion is totally fastened to the second handle 16. The connecting link 17 is disposed at an oblique angle to the rectilinear axes of the handles 13 and 16 and includes an angularly disposed portion which may continuously contact the interior terminal side of the second handle 16 when the second handle 16 is in a closed position, parallel to the first handle 13. The point at which the second jaw 15 approaches the first jaw 14 may be adjusted by means of a threaded rod 17' which engages the terminal end of the link 17 in the first handle 13. Operating force to retain the locking pliers 11 in its respective open and closed positions may be provided by a coil spring 19 connected between the second jaw 15 at a point distally from the handle 16 and the first handle l3 and to the link 17. The release lever 18 may be disposed at the portion opposite the pivot of the second handle 16 on a pivot such that the forwardmost terminal end of the release lever 18 is disposed under the rearward end of the raised portion of the link 17. When the rearwardmost terminal end of the release lever 18 is depressed adjacent to the rearwardmost terminal end of the second handle 16, the link 17 is caused to be pivoted away from the handle 16 to cause the spring 19 to open the jaws 14 and 15.

Referring now to the FIGS. 2 and 3, the jaw plates 12 each comprise a rigid plate portion 21 and a resilient coating 22 disposed on the interior surfaces of the plate 21. The interior, cable contacting side of each plate 12 has a relieved portion 20 including, from the leading edge to the handles 13 and 16, a transverse concavely curved groove or recess 23 and a sloped transverse recess 24, and a pair of horizontal ridges 25 and 25 at the respective leading end of the rearward edges of the jaw plates 12. The recess 23 has a substantially symmetrical concave arcuate shape which generally follows the symmetrically circular shape of a cable 26. Recess 24 has its deepest portion disposed distally from the rearwardmost edge of the jaw plate 12, and has a sloped curved face from the forward edge of the ridge 25 to the deepest portion thereof, and has a gradually sloping face from the aforesaid deepest portion to the rearward edge of the recess 23. The coating 22 is intended to provide frictional gripping means while protecting the cable from jaw marks and the like. The coating 22 may be fabricated out of any of a variety of polymeric or elasto-polymeric materials, such as polypropolene and the like. It is to be understood that while a coating 22 is described, other grip means may be used to similar effect.

In operation a cable 26 may be disposed in the recess 23 and the jaw plates 12, and the respective jaws l4 and may be closed in the locking pliers 11. As shown in the FIG. 4, a pair of cable sections 26 and 26' may be held with a cable section 26 in the recess 23 and the second cable section 26 disposed in the deepest recessed portion of the sloped recess 24.

Having thus described in detail a preferred apparatus which embodies the concepts and principles of the invention and which accomplishes the various objects, purposes and aims thereof, it is to be appreciated and will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many physical changes could be made in the apparatus without altering the inventive concept and principles embodies therein. Hence, it is intended that the scope of the invention be limited only to the extent indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. ln pliers having means for selectively locking jaws thereof in a predetermined oppressive juxtaposition, a pair of jaw plates for gripping lashing cables mounted 4 perpendicularly in the respective jaws of said pliers, each of said jaw plates comprising: a rigid plate portion, and means for gripping said cable disposed on the interior contacting surfaces of said'plate, the interior contacting side of said jaw plates having a relief including, respectively from the leading edge the handles of said pliers, a transversely cut concavely curved recess disposed distally from the leading edge of said jaw plates and having a substantially symmetrical concave arcuate shape, and a transversely cut sloped recess having its deepest portion disposed distally from the rearward edge closest to said plier handles of said jaw plate and having a sloped face from said rearward edge to said deepest portion thereof, and a gradually sloped face from said deepest portion of said sloped recess to the rearward edge of said first recess.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pliers are of the type having the first handle having a jaw portion at one of its terminal ends, a second jaw mounted distally from the rearward portion of a said jaw of said first handie, the second handle pivotally mounted to the rearwardmost terminal end of said second jaw, a connecting link pivotally mounted at one of its terminal ends to the second handle distally from the connection of the second jaw and said second handle, the end opposite said connecting link contacting a shaft disposed rectilinearly in said first handle at the end opposite said first jaw, and an operating spring fastened between the rearwardside of said second jaw and said first handle at a point distally rearward of said first jaw. 

1. In pliers having means for selectively locking jaws thereof in a predetermined oppressive juxtaposition, a pair of jaw plates for gripping lashing cables mounted perpendicularly in the respective jaws of said pliers, each of said jaw plates comprising: a rigid plate portion, and means for gripping said cable disposed on the interior contacting surfaces of said plate, the interior contacting side of said jaw plates having a relief including, respectively from the leading edge the handles of said pliers, a transversely cut concavely curved recess disposed distally from the leading edge of said jaw plates and having a substantially symmetrical concave arcuate shape, and a transversely cut sloped recess having its deepest portion disposed distally from the rearward edge closest to said plier handles of said jaw plate and having a sloped face from said rearward edge to said deepest portion thereof, and a gradually sloped face from said deepest portion of said sloped recess to the rearward edge of said first recess.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pliers are of the type having the first handle having a jaw portion at one of its terminal ends, a second jaw mounted distally from the rearward portion of a said jaw of said first handle, the second handle pivotally mounted to the rearwardmost terminal end of said second jaw, a connecting link pivotally mounted at one of its terminal ends to the second handle distally from the connection of the second jaw and said second handle, the end opposite said connecting link contacting a shaft disposed rectilinearly in said first handle at the end opposite said first jaw, and an operating spring fastened between the rearwardside of said second jaw and said first handle at a point distally rearward of said first jaw. 